For the third consecutive week the UCLA football team found
itself in a sizable hole after a first half of play marked by an
inconsistent offense and a shoddy defense.
For the third consecutive week, however, the Bruins managed to
turn the tables in the second half and score a comeback
victory.
Erasing a three-touchdown deficit, UCLA pulled out a 44-41
overtime win in Pullman, Wash., against Washington State, by once
again showing the kind of character that has come to define this
year’s club.
After scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter to tie the game,
UCLA held Washington State to one field goal on its first overtime
possession. Next came the Bruins chance, and a familiar name
delivered another clutch performance.
Junior running back Maurice Drew, coming off his heroics in the
Cal game a week ago, pushed his way into the end zone for a 1-yard
touchdown that ended the game.
The Bruins (6-0, 3-0 Pac-10) entered the game with swirling
questions about their inability to stop the run as they rank near
the bottom in the country in rushing defense.
The problem didn’t appear to be solved, with
the Cougars (3-3, 1-3) employing senior running back Jerome
Harrison. Harrison totaled 259 yards on 34 carries, with two
touchdowns, leading his team to leads of 21-0 and 28-7 in the first
half.
But any doubts about the Bruins’ rush defense were put to the
side as the team showed true grit by turning up the intensity on
offense to a very rowdy home crowd.
Senior quarterback Drew Olson engineered yet another
fourth-quarter drive as UCLA took just over four minutes to gain 96
yards.
Olson completed several big plays, hooking up with senior tight
end Marcedes Lewis on three plays that ignited the drive. With a
little under a minute left in regulation, Olson floated a pass that
sophomore wide receiver Marcus Everett caught in the back of the
end zone.
UCLA’s formula for success has started to become repetitious, if
not eerily coincidental. In each of the past three games, Olson has
found Everett for a key completion during the last drive to secure
a Bruin come-from-behind victory.
Olson was the driving force behind his team’s scoring all night,
as he completed 32 passes on 45 attempts for 352 yards, with five
touchdowns and an interception.
Washington State quarterback Alex Brink had 170 passing yards,
with two touchdowns, but was unable to convert on key third
downs.
The Bruin secondary held the Cougars in check and gave their
offense a chance to come back.